Mounting the bed/box without wood??

[64tantruck]

Ive tried searching the FAQs and a google search. Ive seen pics of trucks with there beds mounted without the wood. How is it done?
Isnt the mounting bolts with the off center hole in the washer whats holding the box in place? Once the box is done, I would like to mount it, and do the wood at another location.

Thanks,
glenn

[earl84]

That's exactly right. Those holes line up with the box "perches" that are on the frame in the front 3 cross sills, then through the frame towards the back. They go through the cross sills, then through the perches. The cross sills are also bolted to the bed sides to hold the bed. The rear cross sill also has bolts through them and the frame. You should be able to see what I mean in the attached pictures. Note that not all the holes in these photos have bolts through them, especially the cross sill to bed side connections. On a long bed, there was 8 (I think) of those offset washers, plus the two on the rear cross sill. You don't have to have offset washers to bolt on with no wood just to transport it.

[64tantruck]

Ok thank you for the info and pics.

Glenn

[61K10]

I cut some small pieces of 3/4" plywood and put under the bed sides (wanted to ck body-lines) which was like having the wood in the bed.

[Trsmotrhed]

Originally Posted by 61K10

I cut some small pieces of 3/4" plywood and put under the bed sides (wanted to ck body-lines) which was like having the wood in the bed.

X2.
I wanted to check body lines also.

[donthekawguy]

I put most of the wood in and mounted the bed with the bolts and lock nuts. Then I used a huge drill bit and drilled a counter sink in the bottom of the boards that covered the bolts. It's on tight and no bolts showing. Its going to be a little bit of a pain when I have to tske the bed off but I think it looks better with the bolts hidden.

[earl84]

64tantruck, I highly recommend doing as much of the wood install as possible with the bed OFF the truck. There are A LOT of bolts that go into that bed and doing it from underneath trying to fit your fingers up in the cross sills is a serious pain, I bet I spent 8 hours doing it.

[LostMy65]

Thanks for this thread. Exactly what I was looking for.

[Angrywood]

I put this much wood on. Bolted it to the frame then counter sunk the wholes in the wood for the bolt tops. Then pretty easily put the two remaining boards on. Still a lot of climbing underneath to fasten the nuts. Had to use my daughter and some concrete blocks to keep some of the bolts down in order to thread the nut sometimes.